Rivercity Tech To Help Address Rural Crime

Rivercity Tech To Help Address Rural Crime

A team of technology innovators has been selected as the winner of the province’s first Rural Crime Innovation Challenge. The challenge, organized by Innovation Saskatchewan in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice, is focused on addressing rural crime in Saskatchewan.

Mr. Jeff Shirley, owner and principal consultant of Rivercity Technology Services Limited (RCT) and Mr. William Topping, founder of Brand X Technologies, will work together on a project to develop prototypes to improve the safety and security of rural citizens and rural property.

“The Rural Crime Innovation Challenge is a new approach to helping Saskatchewan address crime,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Steven Bonk said. “The response to this program by knowledge-based companies and researchers speaks to the opportunity that exists to use technology to help solve everyday challenges in our province.”

Working together in a joint venture partnership, the selected team will participate in a 16-week residency program with the Ministry of Justice, on their proposed solution. They will design an application-based tracking system and GPS device to alert land owners about any event or irregular activity related to their property. The goal is for rural residents to be able to log these events in an application that would immediately alert law enforcement officers; the GPS would make the device, which can be placed on property, trackable on mobile devices.

“We are excited to see the technology sector’s involvement in addressing crime in rural Saskatchewan,” says Don Morgan, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. “This collaborative approach will help us find creative solutions to make Saskatchewan a safer place to live and raise a family.”

If the developed prototype meets the needs identified by the Ministry of Justice, it will be deployed in a pilot project, refined as necessary and eventually commercialized.